Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on adapting the Kickstart scheme to make it easier for charities and social enterprises to participate in that scheme.

The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has held discussions with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, including on how DCMS sectors have been impacted by Covid-19, particularly in relation to unemployment and where new opportunities may arise so that workers could be helped to pivot into new roles. Throughout Kickstart policy development, Government officials have engaged with a wide range of stakeholders, including a number of voluntary sector organisations.

Employers from all industries and across the private, public and voluntary sectors will be able to get involved in creating new jobs, funded by the Kickstart scheme. Government will continue to engage with organisations in order to encourage a wide range of delivery partners to support the scheme and make it a success.